If you like to enjoy your Starbucks cup of Joe with a cigarette, you will have to do so at least 25 feet away from the store, Starbucks said Friday.
The Seattle-based chain says it will start banning smoking within 25 feet of its stores beginning from Saturday. The ban will be across the stores 7,000 company-operated cafes in the U.S. but that does not mean that Starbucks employees will begin patrolling the stores entrances, a spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.
There are already several state or city smoking bans in place which prohibit smoking within 20 feet or so of building entrances, although there is no standard restriction across the country.
"We take pride in providing a comfortable environment at our stores where customers and members of the community gather," a Starbucks spokeswoman said.
The policy shouldn't cause a big difference in many areas that already ban smoking within a certain distance of a business entrance.
''If there were any concerns, we would hope to resolve it amicably.'' Riley said, referring to a customer who might be smoking within the restricted area.
